Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
IEFA vs VBK: how they differ
IEFA and VBK hold 0% of their weight in the same names, and IEFA returned more over the year.
iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF and Vanguard Small-Cap Growth Index Fund.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, IEFA and VBK hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Only in IEFA | Only in VBK |
|---|---|
| ASML Holding N.V. 2.23% | Credo Technology Group Holding Ltd 1.27% |
| HSBC HOLDINGS PLC 1.25% | REVOLUTION Medicines Inc 1.07% |
| ASTRAZENECA PLC 1.17% | Astera Labs Inc 1.05% |
| Novartis AG 1.11% | Natera Inc 1.04% |
| Nestle S.A. 1.03% | Twilio Inc 0.88% |
| SHELL PLC 1.03% | Casey's General Stores Inc 0.83% |
| Siemens Aktiengesellschaft 0.90% | Carpenter Technology Corp 0.82% |
| COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA 0.84% | Curtiss-Wright Corp 0.79% |
Weight overlap is an ETFIQ calculation: for every security both funds hold, the smaller of the two weights, summed. Above 50%, holding both is close to holding one of them twice. Holdings dated Apr 30, 2026 and Jun 30, 2026.
| IEFA iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF | VBK Vanguard Small-Cap Growth Index Fund | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | iShares | Vanguard |
| What it is | Core MSCI EAFE | Small-Cap Growth |
| Total return, 1 year | +18.0% | +13.8% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | +0.5 pts | −3.7 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.07% | 0.05% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 0.1% | 10.2% |
| Holdings | 2632 | 545 |
IEFA in plain words
IEFA is an index equity fund tracking the Core MSCI EAFE. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +18.0% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.07% a year. By its holdings filed for Apr 30, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 2632 positions, with the top ten at 11.5%.
VBK in plain words
VBK is an index equity fund tracking the Small-Cap Growth. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +13.8% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.05% a year. By its holdings filed for Jun 30, 2026, 10% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 545 positions, with the top ten at 9.3%. It sat 7.0% below its high of Aug 17, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, IEFA or VBK?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IEFA returned +18.0% and VBK returned +13.8%, so IEFA returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, IEFA or VBK?
- IEFA charges 0.07% a year and VBK charges 0.05%, so VBK is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do IEFA and VBK overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 0% of IEFA and 10% of VBK by weight is stocks the S&P 500 already holds. Between the two funds, 0% of their books are the same securities at the same weight.
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Where these figures came from
ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.
Cite this page. ETFIQ, IEFA against VBK, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/IEFA-VBK Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources